INTA Hosts Government Relations Program in New Delhi, India

INTA hosted a government relations program on September 24 during the Board of Director’s trip to New Delhi, India. This full-day intensive masterclass gave members of the Board a unique chance to hear from numerous key constituents who are tasked with promoting, managing, administering, protecting, interpreting, adjudicating, and enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights in the country. The program provided valuable insight into the complex IP rights machinery of India, evidencing how much India has evolved in this regard, as well as how far it needs to go.

The program included the following key sessions:

Understanding the Indian Judicial System and Indian Jurisprudence on Trademarks and Related IP: This session provided an overview of the Indian judicial framework. The panel, comprised of leading judges of the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India, discussed practices and precedents of the Indian courts and tribunals in dealing with Indian IP laws, their interpretation, and the judiciary’s crucial role in adjudicating contemporary and unprecedented IP issues.
Trademark Prosecution and Administration in India: In this session, representatives of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks provided an overview of the Office and its role in the prosecution, administration, and protection of trademarks in India, as well as the remarkable strides the Office has made in recent years. Panelists focused on the operation of the Madrid Protocol at the Office and the recent introduction of a special provision that allows applicants to apply for well-known mark designations in India.
National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy-How the Government Has Implemented It and What It Has Been Able to Achieve So Far: Officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce) and the Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) examined the Indian National IPR Policy, its nature, objectives, and implementation since its inception in 2016. Discussions focused on how India’s National IPR Policy has affected IP awareness among enforcement agencies and educational institutions throughout India.
Border Measures in India: Senior customs officials examined the role of the Indian customs authorities in securing India’s borders from counterfeit goods. Speakers provided case studies on how they work in tandem with other enforcement bodies in the country as well as neighboring jurisdictions.
Criminal Prosecution of IP Offenses in the Digital Space: Senior officials from India’s police agencies and Ministry of Electronics and IT examined the role and evolution of the government and enforcement agencies as they relate to combating and prosecuting IP-related offenses in India’s ever-expanding digital landscape.

An interactive discussion was also held on the theme of Practicing IP Law in India-A Young Practitioner’s Perspective, which centered on the challenges and opportunities for young IP practitioners in India.

The program concluded with a special address from an eminent judge of the Supreme Court of India who spoke about the future of IP in the country. His talk focused on the evolving Indian IP ecosystem, challenges posed by rapidly changing technologies, legal principles and society, as well as how India will rise to face these challenges to ensure a culture of IP awareness and appreciation at all levels without compromising creativity and innovation.

A membership reception followed the program, during which Board members had the opportunity to interact with India’s engaged and motivated membership. Later, a dinner reception was graciously hosted by Senior Advocate and past Board Member Chander Lall in the ambiance of New Delhi’s twilight. Members of the Board attended the reception, along with INTA members, luminaries from the Indian IP rights community, and honorable judges of the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India.

More information on the Board’s visit to India is available here.

INTA India Consultant Gauri Kumar supports the Association’s 188 members in India. In collaboration with staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City and Representative Offices around the world, Ms. Kumar works on the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives throughout India. To learn more about INTA’s activities in India, please contact Gauri Kumar at [email protected].

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